Dancing, Dazzling
by clonedmemories
Summary: It's Senior Homecoming, and everyone's hoping for the night of their dreams. But will they all get what they want?
1. Chapter 1

**Dancing, Dazzling**

**PG/PG-13**

Finn/Rachel; Brittany/Santana; Puck/Rachel

Plus other minor pairings**.  
><strong>

_Written for the lovely Cherry_

Do go and have a look at her writing here: .net/u/2206365/the_frozen_cherry

* * *

><p>Rachel's eyes close involuntarily as her vision is invaded by a series of flashes and lights, something she guesses she'll have to get used to. She stays composed; face glowing with a trademark smile, hand on hip and heart fluttering with the faint strains of nerves that don't dare to show themselves outwardly.<p>

Both of her dads return their cameras to the table, before pulling her into a careful hug, trying not to displace her dress or hair or makeup. The break apart as the doorbell rings, and Rachel lets out a small hum of excitement. She quickly steps around the corner as Finn is heard from the doorway of the house, greeting her parents far more formally than she'd ever heard him speak before, and she giggles softly for a moment before stepping out, to Finn's gasp.

He smiles, slightly awkward, his body tense, shifting where he stands framed against a starless night, and reaches out a hand to her. She takes it, their fingers fitting together, and he withdraws a box from behind his back to give to her.

"Here, I got you a corsage. Cream and blue, brown ribbon. I thought it would look nice. With your eyes." He seems to be stumbling over his words, his eyes flickering between the box, Rachel and her fathers, standing with their arms around each other behind her.

Rachel takes the box and opens it eagerly.

"It's beautiful," she smiles as she withdraws it from amongst the tissue paper and places it around her wrist. The blue doesn't match her dress exactly right, but it does match her eyes, and the ghost of words once spoken before Junior Prom resound in her head, helping Finn choose a corsage for Quinn. _Pale green – to match her eyes_, she'd told him.

"You ready?"

Finn turns to leave, but is stopped by a shout.

"Hey! Pictures! Both of you, come here."

Rachel's dads have their cameras in their hands, and Finn curls an arm around Rachel's waist as she leans into his chest, standing on the doorstep , the light from the house casting an softly ethereal glow over them as they hold each other in the night.

"Have a lovely night, Rach!"

"Look after, her, Finbo!"

Finn turns to Rachel, now out of her parents' earshot. "_Finbo?" _he asks, incredulously.

Rachel laughs in response as they walk together, hands clasped.

* * *

><p>Noah Puckerman brushes his jacket down once last time as he stands on the doorstep, whispers of breath appearing in the night as he knocks the door and waits. When the door opens and a wave of warmth falls over him, he breathes a sigh of relief, rubbing his hands together and smiling, extending one to Mrs Pierce.<p>

"Good evening, Mrs Pierce. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Welcome. Come inside. Do you prefer Noah, or Puck? And no need to sound so formal! It's Carolyn. Or Carrie."

"Puck. You look just like your daughter." Puck has amped the charm level up a notch.

"Why, thank you!" Carrie beams at him, a smile that makes her face reminisce strangely of the childish innocence that still remains.

Puck turns around to see Santana and Brittany standing together at the top of the stairs, little fingers linked, eyes fixed on each other.

"Well hello, ladies!" he declares, and both turn around to look at him simultaneously. Santana's eyes glint with shards of crystal, and Brittany exudes freshness beneath some kind of hardened vulnerability. They seem to be polar opposites, but together, there's certainly an undeniable odd beauty about them.

They walk downstairs, still joined, Santana holding her dress above the floor with her free hand, and Brittany's mother almost squeals in delight at the pair of them.

"Girls, you look so beautiful! Isn't Puck a lucky man?"

"Certainly am, Mrs P! Going to Homecoming with two lovely ladies!" Both Santana and Brittany exchange flattered smiles.

Puck offers his hands to each of them, and they stand either side as Mrs Pierce captures the moment in a series of frenzied photographs, all four of them beaming in a daze of sequins and trail of glitter.

"I think it's time we head off, guys! Thanks, Mrs P!"

"You're welcome, dear. You too, Santana."

"Yeah, thanks, Carrie!"

"See you later!"

Carrie pulls all of them into a jigsaw of an embrace before they leave.

"Mum, you'll mess up my dress!"

"Sorry!"

"See you all later! Have a nice night! Oh – Santana and Puck, good luck for Homecoming King and Queen!"

As the three of them leave, arms linked, Carrie waving in the doorway, Santana and Brittany reach behind Puck's back and link their fingers once again.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Note:<em>

_So, this is most likely going to be a 3 or 4 shot, written while "revising" for my exams!_

_Enjoy!_


	2. Chapter 2

The music radiates out into the night as Finn and Rachel wait to go inside, Rachel clinging tightly to Finn's waist to shield herself from the gathering breeze. The edge of her dress flutters around her knees, the soft blue shining slightly in the moonlight, looking down from them as though from worlds away, shielded by a bridal veil of cloud.

They're met by a swirl and cacophony of psychedelic lights, dancing off the walls, flashing and pulsing and rotating hypnotically as they enter. Finn wraps an arm around Rachel's exposed shoulders, traces the fragile outline of her spine, and she leans her head into him in response.

They survey the dance floor for a few moments, watching as the others navigate their way around each other and the music. Sam and Mercedes are laughing as they perform their standard "robot" dance, Tina and Mike are doing an awkward two-step and it's clear that Mike's desperate to have more space, to flaunt his prowess, while Kurt and Blaine are standing at the side, smiling, their hands around each others' waists.

"Hey! Rach! Finn!" They turn around to see Puck, walking casually towards them, Santana and Brittany in tow, holding hands. "Looking good!"

"Thanks," Rachel replies, beaming at him.

"Looks like we might be facing some competition here, Puckzilla." Santana sidles up to him. "We'd better watch out!" The words sound oddly sinister to Rachel, even if Santana had spoken them only with the friendliest of intent.

"All three of you look amazing," she tells them, slightly uneasy. "Santana, that red shade looks lovely on you, just like at Prom, and Brit, you really should wear purple more often, though maybe tone it down for everyday wear? Puck, dashing, as always. Now, if you'll excuse us, Finn and I have some dancing to do."

Rachel tries to pull Finn away, but he doesn't move, wanting to talk further.

"Remind me again; why are you having a threesome date?"

Santana laughs, "Brit and I wanted to come together, but so that Puckerman didn't look like a forever alone loser, we agreed to let him take us both as long as he and I could run for Homecoming King and Queen." Her voice is cool, impassive.

"Lovely, well, see you later! Come on, Finn, let's go dance. I love this song!"

Rachel has no idea what song it even is, but she wants to get away from the three of them. She wasn't sure if she'd imagined it or not, but Puck had kept staring at her throughout the whole conversation. Is something wrong with what she's wearing? Oh, she hopes not! Her hair? Her makeup? No?

Rachel takes Finn's hands and begins to nervously sway to the music, waiting for him to take the lead. Tentatively, he does so, before pulling her close to him. She can feel his heartbeat through his chest. It's reassuring to her, hearing something so alive, so vital, despite the tension in the beat.

Kurt and Blaine end up next to them, and Rachel spends a few moments watching them rotate together slowly, lost in themselves. Blaine's head falls neatly into Kurt's shoulder and their eyes are closed. One whispers something to the other and both smile.

She considers calling to them, to alert them to her presence, but decides against it, and continues to sway silently with Finn instead. He's humming tunelessly to the music, completely out of his range, but Rachel just clings tighter to him, holding on, certain as the tide, a rope for safety.

Puck, Santana and Brittany take to the dance floor only when the next song comes on; something with a faster upbeat that didn't require any awkward couple dancing. They jump and shout amongst the bursts of frenetic, frenzied energy that has exploded around the room, laughing with each other as their hands beat the air above their heads. Puck and Brittany toss their hair around, while Santana is more restrained, not wanting to spoil her intricate style – at least, not until the results had been announced. Brittany squeals, reduced to child-like glee and Santana pats her on the back as she recovers, the threads of quicksilver and initial adrenaline diffusing throughout her body.

"Would all the candidates for Homecoming King and Queen please make their way onto the stage?"

Santana kisses Brittany softly on the cheek, before taking Puck's hand and finding their way through the crowd.

Finn and Rachel join them, all uncertain smiles and reinforced façades.

"I'm delighted to announce that the two thousand and eleven Homecoming King is Mr Noah Puckerman!"

Puck simply smiles at the cheering crowd, picking out faces – Mercedes and Sam, Mike and Tina, even Karofsky, all cheering for him. Santana claps hardest of all, despite knowing what happened when she'd expected the Junior Prom crown; there's still a hopeful buzz in her.

"And the Homecoming Queen – Miss Rachel Berry!"

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><p><em>Here's chapter two! There will most likely be one or two more chapters. We'll see how we are after I've done the next part.<em>

_The music for this chapter, as I imagined, was these two songs on YouTube - _

_.com/watch?v=Pz5H3iVjAlw  
>for the slow dance<em>

_and_

_.com/watch?v=ykW4rtW2eu0  
>for the upbeat dance<em>

_Thank you for reading!  
><em>


	3. Chapter 3

Rachel stared at the students for a moment, incredulously. It was easy to pick out the members of the Glee club, those cheering hardest of all. Those who had voted for her, supported her. She glanced for a moment at Quinn's gracious smile, Mercedes beaming, Kurt, standing on tiptoe, applauding hardest of all, a faint glitter of relief in his eye.

As she steps forward, still in shock, she turns to see Puck, whose expression is completely unreadable and this scares her. She doesn't turn away as the crown is placed on her head, as a bunch of flowers are placed into her arms with a soft, whispered, "thank you", as she approaches him, takes his hand and walks to the middle of the dance floor with him.

He's holding both her hands as the music starts, gentle piano chords that ache of romance and sadness and forgotten love and forgotten heartbreak through the ages. Puck places an arm around her waist, while her hand slides up to his shoulder and they start to float on the clouds of the melody, uplifted by the bleeding voice of the singer. As they move, they can feel everyone's eyes watching them, but as though from a distance, separated by fretwork.

Puck can't help but smile, watching Rachel's eyes desperately searching to read him.

"Relax, Rach. Just follow me," he tries to reassure, her, but can still feel the tension in her body.

They turn, eyes only for each other.

"Why do you keep staring at me, Noah?" Rachel's voice catches in her throat.

Puck pauses for a moment before replying, his hand gripping tighter.

"Because – because you look beautiful tonight, Rachel."

He stares down at the floor, embarrassed a little. Rachel steps closer to him, not knowing what to say. She reaches her arms around his neck and leans into him.

"Woah, woah, Rach!" Puck gently pulls her away, back to how they were before, so that no one watching would suspect anything. "Here, spin."

He lifts his arm and she twirls under it, stepping slowly to the tempo, dress flaring out slightly like a flower coming into bloom. Neither wants to look back at each other.

They dance silently for a few moments, gripping each other tightly as the music begins a crescendo, the satin texture of the violins fading in and above the crushed velvet of the piano. Instinctively, Rachel steps into him again, feeling the warmth that overpowers her as the music swells.

Neither of them knows how it happens, but at the moment the music hits its climax, they're kissing, Rachel leading on tiptoe, lips pressed together, heads held in each others' hands, not caring about the eyes that stare from every angle. Because all that matters to Rachel is the touch of her lips on his, the way the whole world seems to sparkle like champagne as they break apart, the music falling, exposing the whistles and applause from the surrounding crowd.

Rachel doesn't care. She leans back into Puck's chest, her eyes fluttering shut happily, and begins to mouth the last verse of the song.

Puck, on the other hand, looks around the crowd nervously, taken aback, looking for a reaction outside the realm of the spotlight that casts a harsh, clinical glow on the pair of them. His hand moves through Rachel's hair, another along her spine. She curves into the touch, somewhat subconsciously as they spin together.

_where are you now?  
>where are you now?<br>_'_cause I'm kissing you_

Puck can feel the faint buzz of Rachel's lips through his shirt as she hums the last lines, seemingly elsewhere.

As they finish, the room stands still, frozen in time. Then applause.

But somewhere, towards the back of the hall, a door slams violently.

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><p><em>There's likely to be one more chapter, but it could possibly be two!<em>

_Music for this chapter can be found here on YouTube - _

_.com/watch?v=Lqt32wr0xQU_  
><em>for the first dance<em>

_Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments!_


	4. Chapter 4

As the song ends, another starts, and the other couples begin to take to the dance floor once again, Rachel and Puck stand shocked momentarily, staring towards the door. Then Rachel's left him, pushing her way fast through the crowd, one hand holding the crown on her head as she weaves neatly through. It takes Puck a few seconds to follow her.

She reaches the door, wrenches it open and runs down the corridor, heels clicking on the polished floor, slick from the moonlight glaring through the window.

"Finn!" she calls, her voice echoing, "Finn!"

There's no reply, so she turns the corner, hoping she's going in the right direction.

A door slams, somewhere in the distance, and she quickens her pace, not caring about how her steps look stilted and odd to prevent her from slipping in her heels.

She pauses for a moment to catch her breath, staring out of the window, face to face with herself. God, what had she done?

"Rachel, Rach!" Puck's voice calls, but she doesn't answer.

Only then do the tears start falling, flecking behind her as she keeps running. She wants to call back, to reach out, but she simply chokes on the lump in the throat as the words snag against her.

At another junction, she turns her head both ways and sees a figure silhouetted against the moonlight. It slams a locker door, the sound ripping through the silence like a gunshot, before sinking down defeated to the floor.

Rachel approaches tentatively. "Finn," she whispers. "Finn, I – I'm so sorry – Finn? Finn, please, say something. I know what I did was wrong b-but I'm – Finn?"

"God damn it, Rachel!"

She can't help the shriek that falls from her mouth, no matter how hard she tries to keep it in. She retreats inwards, almost collapsing against the lockers and falling to the floor, her head in her hands, her whole body shaking with regret.

"I just wanted one night, _one fucking night _together. I wanted to make up for prom. I wanted this night to be perfect for us, and then you go and make out with bloody Puckerman in front of every person there?"

All Rachel can whisper is, "I'm sorry." Her voice sounds like shrapnel.

"Oi, Finn!"

_Oh God. _

"Come for some as well, have you? What did you do that for, eh, Puckerman?"

"Woah, dude, hey! I'm sorry but - ,"

"What, _Puckerman_!"

Finn is standing dangerously close to him, Puck's arms outstretched in self-defence.

"Finn, Finn, don't- ," Rachel whispers brokenly, but neither seem to hear her.

"Think you could just get it off with my girlfriend, did you? In front of _everyone_, Puckerman!"

"It was my fault."

Both stop to look at Rachel, her head lifted from her knees, face just beginning to blush red from her tears, make-up just starting to run.

"Finn, Finn, didn't you see? _I _kissed_ him. _I just got caught up in the moment and - ,"

She buries her face in her dress again, unable to continue, not knowing want to say.

"Forget it."

Somehow, the complete and utter defeat in Finn's voice is worse than his anger.

"Dude, she said she's sorry."

"I said forget it, Puckerman!"

Finn kicks the locker in a rage, before storming off into the darkness of the corridor, leaving a heavy glow of frustration behind. Puck simply stares as he watches him leave. Rachel doesn't look up.

"I'm sorry, Puck. I'm so, so sorry. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry -," Rachel trails off into the nothingness of the torture of her own thoughts.

"Hey, _hey_, Rach, it's okay. Look, c'mere."

Puck pulls Rachel into an awkward hug as her crying slows down, her shaking becomes more controlled. His thumb strokes her hair, trails along her forehead and traces the path of her tears. He tilts her head up to face him, her eyes crystallised, something heartbreakingly beautiful and vulnerable about her.

"Do you want to go back in again? We can dance some more, if you'd like."

Rachel's smile is oddly jarred by the sadness radiating from her. It takes her a moment to reply.

"Yes. I'd like that, Noah."

"Stand up, then. Come into the moonlight so I can see you better."

He offers her his hand, which she gladly takes as he lifts her to her feet.

Standing in the glow of the window, Puck tells Rachel to close her eyes as he fixes her makeup; she doesn't have any spare on her, so he resolves just to wipe away the etchings of mascara, the leaked eyeliner, the fractured foundation.

"There. Much better. You look amazing in the moonlight, y'know?"

"Thanks." This time, Rachel's smile doesn't look shattered, just honest, if weak, a fire burning from the glowing embers.

"Shall we dance?"

"Yeah."

Puck and Rachel walk arm in arm, back to the hall, as the music draws them closer.

They both exchange a smile before they re-enter, Puck lifting a hand and adjusting the placement of Rachel's crown slightly.

"Ready?"

* * *

><p><em>There's going to be one more chapter now!<em>

_Again, this is for the lovely girl that is Cherry, for being amazing and lovely._

_Thank you for reading!_


	5. Chapter 5

As she and Puck walk back into the hall, Rachel is more than ever aware of how her heartbeat is racing, the beats oddly fitting with the rhythm of the music as it reaches its pinnacle and falls. No one seems to notice their re-entrance; all are wrapped up in their own fantasies of couples and the night ahead for themselves.

They slip between the couples as the song ends and a new one begins to start, a slow but cheerful melody that seems wholly inappropriate for dancing, because slow, romantic dancing was more subdued, yet it still wasn't anything you could really get your teeth into, nothing you could jump and swing and spin to, either. Rachel and Puck resort to holding hands and spinning each other round in the free space, their laughs the echoes of their childhood soon to be left behind, until they fall against each other, leaning against each other for support as the spinning surrounding dissolve before coming back, clear as glass.

Puck takes a stray curl, toys with it a little, then tucks it back into place behind Rachel's ear, smiling kindly. Around them, Santana and Brittany are laughing, Sam and Mercedes are taking a break and drinking together, spectating, Tina and Mike are dancing without a care, and Artie is twirling Becky around, arm raised high in the air as her face fills with delight and a swirl of green satin surrounds her.

The last dance of the evening is announced as a slow dance, and the music strikes up as all couples take into hold, some with hands on shoulders, others clasped by their sides, some wrapped around waists. Each fall into their own dreams as the guitar chords pick up, the infectious brightness spreading from face to face. Rachel rests her head against Puck's chest, hands around his shoulders, eyes closed, swaying to the beat, enclosed.

Over Rachel's shoulder, Puck spots Santana and Brittany, holding each other close, touching wherever possible, and smiles, because this threesome date was probably the best idea, now he can dance with Rachel, and they get each other. He can see Blaine, mouthing the words to Kurt, who tilts inwards and presses a sweet, chaste kiss to Blaine's cheek, eyes fluttering shut. Becky is sat across Artie's lap, arms clinging around his neck, head on top of his as he wheels them both around in a circle.

Then he turns back to Rachel, runs a fingertip down her fragile spine, laughing a little as she seems to draw even closer if that were possible, skimming over the top of her dress and folding his arms around her waist, holding her as tight as she can to stop them both from being pulled away by the tide.

"You're amazing, Rach, y'know?" It's all Puck can say right now, and it doesn't seem like Rachel can truly hear him anyway.

It takes them a few moments to realise the song is finished when it does. All they're aware of is the distinct lack of melody that accompanies the buzz of talk and the whispers of the air as people brush past them.

As they break apart, their hands find each other and don't let go.

They wait for most of the crowd to filter out before they try to leave, not wanting to get caught up in the rush. The harsh night air hits them sharply at first, and Rachel's glad she chose to bring a scarf in her bag. She pauses to take it out, promptly breaking the hold. Once her shoulders are covered, she tries to find the hold again, but Puck's hands are behind his back.

"C'mere. Come with me." He sets off with long strides and Rachel has to walk twice as fast to keep up. He takes her into the glow of the streetlamp, flickering erratically like a candle flame.

"Noah, what - ,"

Her question is cut off but the comforting crush of his lips on hers. And there, in the ethereal, heartbreakingly beautiful glow of a dying streetlight and a distant moon and a blanket of stars and a cool autumn evening, Noah Puckerman is kissing Rachel Berry, one of the most talented, wonderful chicks he knows and will ever know.

Above them, the streetlight wavers and falls into the darkness once and for all.

And, hey, it's not perfect, but it certainly comes pretty close.

* * *

><p><em>Music for this chapter can be found on YouTube<em>

_here for the first dance_  
><em>.comwatch?v=jxKjOOR9sPU_

_and_

_here for the last dance_  
><em>.comwatch?v=H7XZiK3fxXE_

_Thank you all so much for reading this all, and once again, thank you to Cherry!_


End file.
